A 64-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a decades-old murder investigation that has haunted an affluent Sacramento suburb since 1991. James Lawhead was taken into custody on 24 April 2026 in Arizona, following a forensic DNA breakthrough in the killing of Cindy Wanner.
Background of the Case
On 25 November 1991, Cindy Wanner, 35, vanished from her sister's home in Granite Bay, California. Her husband arrived with their four-year-old daughter to find their 11-month-old baby alone, strapped to a high chair and wailing. Three weeks later, Wanner's body was discovered 40 miles away in a secluded wooded area; she had been strangled.
Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo described the case as "one of the most heinous, notorious cold cases we have here" during a Monday news conference, standing beside an enlarged photograph of Wanner. He identified Lawhead as the suspect and expressed hope that the arrest would bring justice and closure to the family.
Forensic DNA Analysis
Investigators linked Lawhead to the crime scene through forensic DNA analysis. Lawhead had a prior criminal record, including a 1980 conviction for sex crimes, for which he received a 19-year prison sentence. After serving 11 years, he was released in February 1991. Woo noted that psychiatrists had classified him as a mentally disordered sex offender not amenable to treatment, yet he was released early and allegedly killed Wanner within a year.
Subsequent Criminal Activity
Lawhead encountered legal issues in the early 2000s, including an arrest for failing to register as a sex offender in Placer County. He had not been seen since 2005, believed to have assumed a new identity as Vincent Reynolds. Authorities were on the verge of seeking public assistance when a Scottsdale police analyst used state transportation data to obtain a photo match of Lawhead.
He was arrested in the driveway of his Arizona home. A search warrant yielded several items, including a bag containing $15,000 and a burner phone. Lawhead faces murder and kidnapping charges, among others.
Accomplice Arrested
Lawhead's sister, Terry Lawhead, has also been taken into custody on an accessory charge. Woo stated that she claimed not to have seen or heard from her brother in over 20 years and believed he might be dead. However, investigators discovered that the Arizona home where Lawhead resided was owned by his sister.
Modern Technology in Cold Cases
This case is among several high-profile cold case breakthroughs aided by modern technology. Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire emphasized that "justice, just because of the passage of time, doesn't mean justice diminishes in importance." Lawhead will be extradited from Arizona to face charges.
